an unsocial socialist-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


he　saw　me　he　would　think　I　was　admiring　him；　and　he　is　conceited
enough　already　without　that。〃

The　two　curates　became　redder　and　redder　as　they　passed　the
column　of　young　ladies。　Miss　Lindsay　would　not　look　to　their　side
of　the　road；　and　Miss　Wilson's　nod　and　smile　were　not　quite
sincere。　She　never　spoke　to　curates；　and　kept　up　no　more
intercourse　with　the　vicar　than　she　could　not　avoid。　He　suspected
her　of　being　an　infidel；　though　neither　he　nor　any　other　mortal
in　Lyvern　had　ever　heard　a　word　from　her　on　the　subject　of　her
religious　opinions。　But　he　knew　that　〃moral　science〃　was　taught
secularly　at　the　college；　and　he　felt　that　where　morals　were　made
a　department　of　science　the　demand　for　religion　must　fall　off
proportionately。

〃What　a　life　to　lead　and　what　a　place　to　live　in！〃　exclaimed
Agatha。　〃We　meet　two　creatures；　more　like　suits　of　black　than
men；　and　that　is　an　incident　a　startling　incidentin　our
existence！〃

〃I　think　they're　awful　fun；〃　said　Jane；　〃except　that　Josephs　has
such　large　ears。〃

The　girls　now　came　to　a　place　where　the　road　dipped　through　a
plantation　of　sombre　sycamore　and　horsechestnut　trees。　As　they
passed　down　into　it；　a　little　wind　sprang　up；　the　fallen　leaves
stirred；　and　the　branches　heaved　a　long；　rustling　sigh。

〃I　hate　this　bit　of　road；〃　said　Jane；　hurrying　on。　〃It's　just　the
sort　of　place　that　people　get　robbed　and　murdered　in。〃

〃It　is　not　such　a　bad　place　to　shelter　in　if　we　get　caught　in　the
rain；　as　I　expect　we　shall　before　we　get　back；〃　said　Agatha；
feeling　the　fitful　breeze　strike　ominously　on　her　cheek。　〃A　nice
pickle　I　shall　be　in　with　these　light　shoes　on！　I　wish　I　had　put
on　my　strong　boots。　If　it　rains　much　I　will　go　into　the　old
chalet。〃

〃Miss　Wilson　won't　let　you。　It's　trespassing。〃

〃What　matter！　Nobody　lives　in　it；　and　the　gate　is　off　its　hinges。
I　only　want　to　stand　under　the　verandanot　to　break　into　the
wretched　place。　Besides；　the　landlord　knows　Miss　Wilson；　he　won't
mind。　There's　a　drop。〃

Miss　Carpenter　looked　up；　and　immediately　received　a　heavy
raindrop　in　her　eye。

〃Oh！〃　she　cried。　〃It's　pouring。　We　shall　be　drenched。〃

Agatha　stopped；　and　the　column　broke　into　a　group　about　her。

〃Miss　Wilson；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　going　to　rain　in　torrents；　and
Jane　and　I　have　only　our　shoes　on。〃

Miss　Wilson　paused　to　consider　the　situation。　Someone　suggested
that　if　they　hurried　on　they　might　reach　Lyvern　before　the　rain
came　down。

〃More　than　a　mile；〃　said　Agatha　scornfully；　〃and　the　rain　coming
down　already！〃

Someone　else　suggested　returning　to　the　college。

〃More　than　two　miles；〃　said　Agatha。　〃We　should　be　drowned。〃

〃There　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　wait　here　under　the　trees；〃　said
Miss　Wilson。

〃The　branches　are　very　bare；〃　said　Gertrude　anxiously。　〃If　it
should　come　down　heavily　they　will　drip　worse　than　the　rain
itself。〃

〃Much　worse；〃　said　Agatha。　〃I　think　we　had　better　get　under　the
veranda　of　the　old　chalet。　It　is　not　half　a　minute's　walk　from
here。〃

〃But　we　have　no　right〃　Here　the　sky　darkened　threateningly。
Miss　Wilson　checked　herself　and　said；　〃I　suppose　it　is　still
empty。〃

〃Of　course；〃　replied　Agatha；　impatient　to　be　moving。　〃It　is
almost　a　ruin。〃

〃Then　let　us　go　there；　by　all　means；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　not
disposed　to　stand　on　trifles　at　the　risk　of　a　bad　cold。

They　hurried　on；　and　came　presently　to　a　green　hill　by　the
wayside。　On　the　slope　was　a　dilapidated　Swiss　cottage；　surrounded
by　a　veranda　on　slender　wooden　pillars；　about　which　clung　a　few
tendrils　of　withered　creeper；　their　stray　ends　still　swinging
from　the　recent　wind；　now　momentarily　hushed　as　if　listening　for
the　coming　of　the　rain。　Access　from　the　roadway　was　by　a　rough
wooden　gate　in　the　hedge。　To　the　surprise　of　Agatha；　who　had　last
seen　this　gate　off　its　hinges　and　only　attached　to　the　post　by　a
rusty　chain　and　padlock；　it　was　now　rehung　and　fastened　by　a　new
hasp。　The　weather　admitting　of　no　delay　to　consider　these
repairs；　she　opened　the　gate　and　hastened　up　the　slope；　followed
by　the　troop　of　girls。　Their　ascent　ended　with　a　rush；　for　the
rain　suddenly　came　down　in　torrents。

When　they　were　safe　under　the　veranda；　panting；　laughing；
grumbling；　or　congratulating　themselves　on　having　been　so　close
to　a　place　of　shelter；　Miss　Wilson　observed；　with　some
uneasiness；　a　spadenew；　like　the　hasp　of　the　gatesticking
upright　in　a　patch　of　ground　that　someone　had　evidently　been
digging　lately。　She　was　about　to　comment　on　this　sign　of
habitation；　when　the　door　of　the　chalet　was　flung　open；　and　Jane
screamed　as　a　man　darted　out　to　the　spade；　which　he　was　about　to
carry　in　out　of　the　wet；　when　he　perceived　the　company　under　the
veranda；　and　stood　still　in　amazement。　He　was　a　young　laborer
with　a　reddish…brown　beard　of　a　week's　growth。　He　wore　corduroy
trousers　and　a　linen…sleeved　corduroy　vest；　both；　like　the　hasp
and　spade；　new。　A　coarse　blue　shirt；　with　a　vulgar　red…and…orange
neckerchief；　also　new；　completed　his　dress；　and；　to　shield
himself　from　the　rain；　he　held　up　a　silk　umbrella　with　a
silver…mounted　ebony　handle；　which　he　seemed　unlikely　to　have
come　by　honestly。　Miss　Wilson　felt　like　a　boy　caught　robbing　an
orchard；　but　she　put　a　bold　face　on　the　matter　and　said：

〃Will　you　allow　us　to　take　shelter　here　until　the　rain　is　over？〃

〃For　certain；　your　ladyship；〃　he　replied；　respectfully　applying
the　spade　handle　to　his　hair；　which　was　combed　down　to　his
eyebrows。　〃Your　ladyship　does　me　proud　to　take　refuge　from　the
onclemency　of　the　yallovrments　beneath　my　'umble　rooftree。〃　His
accent　was　barbarous；　and　he；　like　a　low　comedian；　seemed　to
relish　its　vulgarity。　As　he　spoke　he　came　in　among　them　for
shelter；　and　propped　his　spade　against　the　wall　of　the　chalet；
kicking　the　soil　from　his　hobnailed　blucher　boots；　which　were
new。

〃I　came　out；　honored　lady；〃　he　resumed；　much　at　his　ease；　〃to
house　my　spade；　whereby　I　earn　my　living。　What　the　pen　is　to　the
poet；　such　is　the　spade　to　the　working　man。〃　He　took　the　kerchief
from　his　neck；　wiped　his　temples　as　if　the　sweat　of　honest　toil
were　there；　and　calmly　tied　it　on　again。

〃If　you'll　'scuse　a　remark　from　a　common　man；〃　he　observed；　〃your
ladyship　has　a　fine　family　of　daughters。〃

〃They　are　not　my　daughters；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　rather　shortly。

〃Sisters；　mebbe？〃

〃No。〃

〃I　thought　they　mout　be；　acause　I　have　a　sister　myself。　Not　that
I　would　make　bold　for　to　dror　comparisons；　even　in　my　own　mind；
for　she's　only　a　common　womanas　common　a　one　as　ever　you　see。
But　few　women　rise　above　the　common。　Last　Sunday；　in　yon　village
church；　I　heard　the　minister　read　out　that　one　man　in　a　thousand
had　he　found；　'but　one　woman　in　all　these；'　he　says；　'have　I　not
found；'　and　I　thinks　to　myself；　'Right　you　are！'　But　I　warrant　he
never　met　your　ladyship。〃

A　laugh；　thinly　disguised　as　a　cough；　escaped　from　Miss
Carpenter。

〃Young　lady　a…ketchin'　cold；　I'm　afeerd；〃　he　said；　with
respectful　solicitude。

〃Do　you　think　the　rain　will　last　long？〃　said　Agatha　politely。

The　man　examined　the　sky　with　a　weather…wise　air　for　some
moments。　Then　he　turned　to　Agatha；　and　replied　humbly：　〃The　Lord
only　knows；　Miss。　It　is　not　for　a　common　man　like　me　to　say。〃

Silence　ensued；　during　which　Agatha；　furtively　scrutinizing　the
tenant　of　the　chalet；　noticed　that　his　face　and　neck　were　cleaner
and　less　sunburnt　than　those　of　the　ordinary　toilers　of　Lyvern。
His　hands　were　hidden　by　large　gardening　gloves　stained　with　coal
dust。　Lyvern　laborers；　as　a　rule；　had　little　objection　to　soil
their　hands；　they　never　wore　gloves。　Still；　she　thought；　there
was　no　reason　why　an　eccentric　workman；　insufferably　talkative；
and　capable　of　an　allusion　to　the　pen　of　the　poet；　should　not
indulge　himself　with　cheap　gloves。　But　then　the　silk；
silvermounted　umbrella

〃The　young　lady's　hi；〃　he　said　suddenly；　holding　out　the
umbrella；　〃is　fixed　on　this　here。　I　am　well　aware　that　it　is　not
for　the　lowest　of　the　low　to　carry　a　gentleman's　brolly；　and　I
ask　your　ladyship's　pardon　for　the　liberty。　I　come　by　it
accidental…like；　and　should　be　glad　of　a　reasonable　offer　from
any　gentleman　in　want　of　a　honest　article。〃

As　he　spoke　two　gentlemen；　much　in　want　of　the　article；　as　their
clinging　wet　coats　showed；　ran　through　the　gateway　and　made　for
the　chalet。　Fairholme　arrived　first；　exclaiming：　〃Fearful
shower！〃　and　briskly　turned　his　back　to　the　ladies　in　order　to
stand　at　the　edge　of　the　veranda　and　shake　the　water　out　of　his
hat。　Josephs　came　next；　shrinking　from　the　damp　contact　of　his
own　garments。　He　cringed　to　Miss　Wilson；　and　hoped　that　she　had
escaped　a　wetting。

〃So　far　I　have；〃　she　replied。　〃The　question　is；　how　are　we　to　get
home？〃

〃Oh；　it's　only　a　shower；〃　said　Josephs；　looking　up　cheerfully　at
the　unbroken　curtain　of　cloud。　〃It　will　clear　up　presently。〃

〃It　ain't　for　a　common　man　to　set　up　his　opinion　again'　a
gentleman　wot　have　profesh'nal　knowledge　of　the　heavens；　as　one
may　say；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　I　would　'umbly　offer　to　bet　my
umbrellar　to　his　wideawake　that　it　don't　cease　raining　this　side
of　seven　o'clock。〃

〃That　man　lives　here；〃　whispered　Miss　Wilson；　〃and　I　suppose　he
wants　to　get　rid　of　us。〃

〃H'm！〃　said　Fairholme。　Then；　turning　to　the　strange　laborer　with
the　air　of　a　person　not　to　be　trifled　with；　he　raised　his　voice；
and　said：　〃You　live　here；　do　you；　my　man？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　by　your　good　leave；　if　I　may　make　so　bold。〃

〃What's　your　name？〃

〃Jeff　Smilash；　sir；　at　your　service。〃

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃Brixtonbury；　sir。〃

〃Brixtonbury！　Where's　that？〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　don't　rightly　know。　If　a　gentleman　like　you；
knowing　jography　and　such；　can't　tell；　how　can　I？〃

〃You　ought　to　know　where　you　were　born；　man。　Haven't　you　got
common　sense？〃

〃Where　could　such　a　one　as　me　get　common　sense；　sir？　Besides；　I
was　only　a　foundling。　Mebbe　I　warn's　born　at　all。〃

〃Did　I　see　you　at　church　last　Sunday？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　only　come　o'　Wensday。〃

〃Well；　let　me　see　you　there　next　Sunday；〃　said　Fairholme　shortly；
turning　away　from　him。

Miss　Wilson　looked　at　the　weather；　at　Josephs；　who　was　conversing
with　Jane；　and　finally　at　Smilash；　who　knuckled　his　forehead
without　waiting　to　be　addressed。

〃Have　you　a